Let's make it a Two Player game
by sorax33
Summary: A different scenario plays out as Chiaki didn't hesitate to speak out to Hajime at the end of "Despair Arc: Episode 3.' *Does contain spoilers for Despair Arc and some Hinanami*


I don't own the rights to Danganronpa

 ** _Author Note:Incase you all might ask, I decide to have Hajime and Chiaki call each other by their last names when talking to eachother in public since it would feel repetitive atleast to me for this story. Just wanted to make that clear here, anyways enjoy._**

* * *

Chiaki focused hard on the sealed package infront of her. It was a brand new Co-op game she wanted her and Hajime to try out. Not that she was tried of playing Gala Omega. That would be ridiculous! It was her favorite game of all time. Sure it wasn't on the same level to what gaming articles stated as "Groundbreaking, masterpieces, major A titles" and strangely sometimes name them as "The new Dark Souls" nowadays. However none of those games could steal away her addiction to Gala Omega.

She had a love to it's 8-bit music, classic arcade graphics and easy enjoyable gameplay. So when she meet overheard that Hajime recognized the game based on it's music alone. She was happy and felt like she could jump straight to Mars based on the excitement she felt at that encounter. Still, the more they played together the more a weird feeling began to form. Occasion, she would glance away from her **_GameGirl Advance_** over to her right to see Hajime. Sometimes, he would have a tension look on his face but other times he would grin a little and actually laughed one time when he broke his own high score during one of their sessions.

Plus they would each talk about how their days went. Starting with Chiaki telling him about the crazy, fun and bizarre adventures her own class in the Main Course had and then Hajime would finish telling her how boring his day was locked up in the Reserve Department. She does wish her friend wouldn't stop treating his normal life like a bad thing.

'Friend...' Chiaki thought on that word. When she used it to describe her classmates it felt more right but when using it for Hajime. It was like using the wrong key for one of the locked doors in her dungeon crawling games. She thought about talking to it with Ms Yukizome, she always had good advice for her and her class. Suddenly she gasped at something very important that could've been the answer to her problem.

"Did... Hinata trigger my character route?' Chiaki questioned looking down from the package. A small red blush ran across her cheeks as she thought about Hajime liking her more than a friend. She quickly then shook her and lightly slapped her cheeks getting out of her daydreaming.

'Stop! I can't even be sure Hinata want to unlock my route until he triggers all the flags' she thought now pulling out her student ID pad to check the time. Hajime should be coming here anytime as Chiaki then looked around searching a Aghoe. She then saw him slowly walking on the concrete path.

She got up from the bench to greet him as he stopped. "Hey Hinata" she said grinning walking closer to him.

"Huh?" Hajime questioned as Chiaki lifted her head up and held out the sealed package.

"Look! I picked up a new game for us to play" She grinned as Hajime then closed his eyes before shaking his head.

"I can't, it's just I have to go somewhere today" He replied opening his eyes. "I'm sorry, it's really important and I can't miss it" he added frowning.

Chiaki copied his frown and held the package down. "O-ok" she said.

The two stood there for over a minute feeling each other's gulit and awkwardness. Hajime broke it by walking pass her as Chiaki body followed his by instinct.

"Hinata, wait!" Chiaki blurted out making him turn around to face her again.

"Yeah? What is it?" He asked her.

"I..." She tried to say as something about him today was different. A scary different, almost like Saria saying goodbye to Link In **Ocarina of Time**. Is it like that? Would this be her last chance to speak with Hajime?

She didn't have time to think so she just blurted out something.

"Y-you aren't going to do something stupid are you?"

Hajime didn't respond right away and instead closed his eyes.

"Hinata! Do you need it?" Chiaki asked him again getting worried.

"If the end results are good... then does it matter if it's stupid or not?" He asked her.

"Huh?" she questioned seeing Hajime's tense face return when his eyes opened.

"Nanami, I'm not like you and the other Ultimates at Hope's Peak, I'm weak and useless" he said with a laugh of pity.

"No, that's wrong! You aren't weak or useless Hinata" Chiaki replied walking towards him. She was closer to him again looking up at him. "You have many paths open to you that aren't restricted by a talent! So why are you thinking you're weak and useless?" she questioned him.

"You just don't understand" He replied but Chiaki wouldn't back down from his weak rebuttal.

"What don't I understand?" she asked him.

"That being around you is hurting me! Why? Why do you want to be around a talentless person like me!" Hajime ranted holding his tie. "You know I can't be as good as you when playing video games, you will always win and all I do is hold you down when we play Co-Op games "

Chiaki was taken back by his outburst but she wanted to keep listening.

"Someone told me they wanted to get into Hope's Peak Main Course because they wanted to stand by the side of the person they love" Hajime said as a blush was now on his cheek.

"I understand how they felt because... I want to be someone you can be proud of and have the right to stand by you" Hajime admitted. "You shouldn't waste your time on some nobody like me! Which is why even if my actions are stupid, if I can become your hope then I'll do it" he finished as both his hands curled into fists with one strangling the tie in his clencted fist.

Chiaki had a few tears dripping down her eyes hearing Hajime talk so badly about him and thinking their friendship needed to be approve of. 'He's been thinking about this for a long time, maybe before he even met me... I knew he was self-conscious but being this troubled by it is too sad' Chiaki thought frowning. 'Plus what did he mean by becoming my "Hope?"' she added.

"Sorry, I'll see you later Nanami" Hajime tried to say walking away.

"No...don't go...I don't care about...you becoming my Hope or anything...I..just want..'

Chiaki quickly wrapped her arms around Hajime's neck. She used this to bring him down and her up as both their foreheads gently touched eachother.

"I only want you Hinata! I only want you to be my Player 2!" She shouted out.

"Nanami -"

"Don't say another word... you may think not having a talent is a bad thing but it's far from it. You have a power that even the most talented person alive will never have" she said.

"And what would that be?" he asked seeing Chiaki had him trapped...plus he liked the warmth he was receiving from her.

"You have the power to creature your own Future" she told him.

"Creature my own future?" Hajime asked as he saw Chiaki's pink eyes staring into his own green eyes. He saw she was serious about this and closed his mouth.

"Yes, sure you may not be the best at what you can do now but you can also do more things that other people aren't the best at too...I think" she said.

"You...really put that much faith in me?" Hajime asked her his voice still having doubts.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is...' she then paused.

Chiaki took a deep breath and thought for a moment. This wasn't one of those curse dating simulating games she always had trouble and struggled greatly on. There was no continue button or save file she could return to if she messed up. She thought about it careful knowing her next choice of words will have to bring Hajime out of his despair.

"If you just do it, things will turn out okay!" she said excited without anymore hesitation.

"So... you're trying to say if I decline to the Kamakura project then things will still turn out okay?" Hajime asked her again.

Chiaki then shook his head "I'm not the one making that choice...you are so it's up to you to make your own future" she said releasing the grasp around his neck and leaving the warmth of his head not knowing his disappointment at that.

"Just know...no matter how much talent you may posses, it will be worthless if you don't start believing in yourself" Chiaki smiled and held a hand over her chest. "So try to be confident in yourself Hinata, for me ok!" she told him.

She then saw the remanding doubt and self hatered in his face vanished. Instead it was replaced by a small smile and a spark of hope shining in his eyes.

"Ok... I will!" he said trying to sound more positive and upbeat but came out loud.

Chiaki giggled at his attempt since it was something they could work together on.

"Well...you better get going, I don't want you to catch a cold waiting for me" Hajime told her.

"Where are you going, Hinata ?" she asked him a bit concern.

Hajime closed his eyes "To decide my future" he said turning away from her.

Chiaki remained quiet, while she was a bit afraid for him. She decided to trust and believe in Hajime's choice.

"Nanami... you should try doing the same too" Hajime said stopping and turned back to look at her one last time.

"Huh?" Chiaki asked confused by him now.

"There's way more to you than just being the "Ultimate Gamer" your character stats are way off the charts" he told her smiling as he saw her cheeks go red.

"I'll see you" Hajime added.

"Yeah! I'll see you tomorrow" Chiaki told him.

He waved goodbye to her and then walked away from the foundation area. He then pulled out his phone and dialed a number as he held it up to his ear.

 _"Hello?"_

 _"_ Hello, It's me Hajime Hinata" Hajime answered.

 _"How are you doing Mr Hinata? Do you finally have a answer for the school board?_ " Kazuo Tengo asked him.

"Yes I do! Are you and principal Kirigiri still at the school?" Hajime asked him.

 _"Yes, we'll leave the main doors and principal Kirigiri office unlock for you_ " Tengo answered him.

"Alright, I'll be there soon" Hajime replied as the call ended. He then look back at Hope's Peak Academy standing in the middle of the entire city.

"Make my own future" Hajime repeated Chiaki's words still echoing in his mind.

* * *

The sounds of her spaceship being destroyed caused Chiak to sigh outloud. She was leaning on the wall of The Reserve Course department gate. She ignore the cold stare and harsh words of the other reserve students. Half of her attention was on her game and the other was her glancing away every 5 seconds looking for Hajime. It's been a few days since their last meeting and during those last few days, she went to the Reserve Course department looking for him even after waiting till when the twilight sky began to turn dark.

Chiaki turned around back to look at the door to see no one else was coming out.

'He's not here today either' Chiaki thought to herself her fingers still nailing on the controller in her hands. She knew her speech about Hajime being able to choose his own future was meant to boost his confident so he wouldn't think less of himself anymore. So, she couldn't be sad or think selfishly If Hajime choose to pick the project still. Even if her heart and feelings were against her on that choice. She moved her feet away from the Reserve Course Department as she headed back to the foundation area.

It was still her favorite spot to be while gaming...even If Hajime wasn't there to be greeted by her.

Yet, as she got closer to the foundation she only both the sound of water falling and...

"Gala music?" she picked up knowing it was too far away to be from her own. She started running to the foundation as she saw someone's silhouette sitting there.

"Ah! Damn it!"

The familiar noise of the spaceship crashing rang out of the **GameBoy Advance**. As Hajime leaned his head back on the bench feeling the air carrying some of the water in his hair. Instead of wearing his usual school clothes. He wore a white color short sleeve shirt with a green tie and a pair of jeans.

"H-Hinata" Chiaki voice called out to him making him jump in surprise.

"Nanami...Hey there" Hajime said nervously holding up his hand in a wave.

"You're... still here" she said to him.

"Yeah about that-"

"Where were you?" Chiaki interrupted. "I was really worried about you! I stopped by the Reverse Course Department each day to see if you were there but you didn't show up" Chiaki began to say. Until Hajime stopped her by wrapping his arms around her, hugging her.

Chiaki face redden up along with Hajime's as this was beyond their head touching moment. She wished this hug lasted for longer than it did as Hajime departed saying "I'm sorry"

He was now infront of her taking his arms back with him as he stuffed them in his pockets.

"The truth is Nanami... I have to leave Hope's Peak Academy" Hajime told her and kept talking before she could form words with her open mouth.

"I don't have enough money to keep attending the Reverse Course, I used the last of my collage funding just to cover last month's bill" Hajime said. "There was only two ways I could choose from to avoid life threating debt for myself and my family. The first was to be apart of a top secret project that I'm forbidden to speak about... and the second was for me to drop out of Hope's Peak Academy along with all the money I sent towards them was to be given back to me" Hajime finished.

"Oh..." Chiaki replied not knowing what else to say in this situation. She suddenly felt guilty feeling that her words that was suppose to be encouraging and full of Hope, were useless and resulted in Hajime hurting more than he told her before.

"Don't blame yourself Nanami, Infact you saved me" Hajime told her putting his hands on her shoulder. She then looked up to see Hajime smiling, not a small grin or force one.

"I reflected on what you said to me about having the power to make my own future, then I realize something... If I choose to accept the project then I would lose my future" Hajime said staring into her amazed pink eyes again.

"So thank you Nanami, thank you for believing in someone like me" Hajime finished.

He then held up his **GameBoy Advance** showing his crappy score. "Also I still need help on this difficult level so...will you be my player 1?" Hajime then blushed seeing her grinning brightly holding up her **Gamegirl Advance.**

"Ofcourse! You are my player 2 after all" Chiaki told him.

'Whenever we're up against a difficult problem or level instead of facing it all alone' Both Hajime and Chiaki thought back on the bench playing Gala Omega. Their eyes focused on the game and fingers in sync with each other destroying many enemies ships.

A victory noise then blasted out of the consoles as the two screen were covered with big white pixel words spelling "Level Clear!"

"We make it a two player game"

 **THE END**


End file.
